UAB team to compete in Launchpad finale

UAB-linked Blondin Bioscience is one of six teams that will compete in the finale of the business start-up competition during the Alabama Launchpad Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference to be held in Birmingham Sept. 25-26.

Awards for innovation also will be presented in eight categories. Descriptions of each award and eligibility rules are online and nominations are accepted until noon July 31. Conference registration is free.

During the competition finale, teams will make their pitches for a share of $300,000 to be awarded. Blondin Bioscience — which is creating tools for diagnosing cancer patients — is a tenant in Innovation Depot and led by CEO Katri Selander, M.D., UAB assistant professor of medicine, CMO Kevin Harris, M.D., UAB associate professor of medicine, and Director of Research Kate Hayden, who is pursuing her doctorate in biophysical chemistry here.

The Alabama Launchpad competition, run by Economic Development Partnership of Alabama Foundation, is part of the state's broader, long-range economic development plan, Accelerate Alabama. UAB is one of seven sponsoring universities.